Southtown Shopping Center opened at 79th and Penn with Monkey Wards as an anchor back in 1960. The Southtown Theatre was built in 1964 and that created one of the first shopping center theater combinations in the area. The modern style theater’s auditorium sat over 1100. When it opened the marquee was one of the longest in the world and wrapped around the entire front of the building. Southtown’s screen measured 70 by 36 feet. In the 1960′s the theater played second-run features. In the 1970′s Southtown became a first-run house and many of us remember seeing “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” or “Superman” on its enormous screen. In 1980, the Southtown was divided into two screens. 15 years later in 1995 it was closed up and torn down.
Craig Finn reminded me of this lovely little shopping mall and theater with his Southtown Girls lyrics a couple years ago. Poets always make places prettier than they ever really were. I guess Southtown is lucky to have Mr. Finn remember it so well.
Take Lyndale to the horizon.
Take Nicollet out to the ocean.
Take Penn ave out to the 494.
Meet me right in front of the fabric store.
Don’t look me in the eye.
Look over at the theater.
I’m a little bit surprised.
You didn’t tell me there’d be three of you.
Hey Bloomington, what’d you let them do to you?
I think they’re almost through with you.
